The most common complaint about the new health care law is that it’s too complicated.

Figuring out what’s happening locally can be a challenge. The blog http://coverkingcounty.com, created by Public Health — Seattle & King County, should help.

It keeps track of the events, milestones and stories unfolding locally. The blog is also used to communicate with a network of local health and human services organizations that are assisting the uninsured get health coverage. It’s not targeted at a wide public audience.

What is the city afraid of anyway?

The city of Issaquah has not been very happy to actually let its citizens have their own opinions for quite some time. The administration has long had a culture that punishes dissent, and anything that they do resembling a mistake doesn’t require an apology and change, but a bigger bunker to hide behind, and usually some nasty finger pointing.

More recently, the city has become even more protective, removing the history of much of the city information from the website and requiring information requests for that which was formerly publicly available. I want to be clear here that most of the staff does not act this way and they actually are interested in what people have so say. (Yes, indeed, there are the occasional exceptions.)

The City Council tends to get only the information that the administration wants to provide to achieve, seemingly, iron-fisted control and unsustainable growth of our city.

What is lost in Issaquah right now is the idea that a town is created and run for its people, and the very baseline of a 5-star city is complete and accurate information for the people so that they can inform the process.

Instead, Issaquah’s administration is hiding the information and making it difficult for anyone to effectively engage. What are they so afraid of … people realizing that the emperor has no clothes?

Last year’s flu season affected an alarming number of people, and experts predict this year’s flu season could strike as early as October. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local physicians recommend families protect themselves now with the 2013 influenza vaccine.

Local AFC/Doctors Express and American Family Care facilities are stocking up on flu vaccines and will have them available throughout the flu season. No appointment is required and patients may walk in for a flu shot at their convenience.

By Greg FarrarKenna Hanses (7) and Shea O’Brien, of Liberty High School, reject a shot by Nicole Ratcliffe (12), of Issaquah, during a point won by the Patriots in the first set of their Sept. 19 volleyball match.

The Issaquah High School volleyball team found a multitude of ways to win during its three-set sweep of Liberty on Sept. 19.

In the first set, it was all about domination; in the second, the Eagles had to claw their way back from an early deficit; and in the third, Issaquah maintained its lead, despite a last minute surge by the Patriots.

Economic Development Director Keith Niven presented a revised Swedish Hospital development agreement to the City Council Land & Shore Committee Sept. 10.

Over the past six months, the city has worked with the hospital on an agreement for Swedish to expand into the 10 acres north of its existing location. Specifically, Swedish wishes to include a number of medical-related service providers, such as physical therapists and additional staff offices within the proposed development. In the draft agreement, the hospital also included a number of sky bridges it would build, connecting the buildings.

Because the Issaquah Highlands’ development agreement expires in 2017, it may not be enough time for Swedish to build the project. The city has moved quickly to come up with a new contract.

Niven said that the council hoped to approve the agreement by the end of October. The revised agreement can be viewed at http://bit.ly/1gTCE4F.

The Issaquah City Council passed a new domestic violence ordinance during its regular meeting Sept. 16.

Originally proposed by Councilman Josh Schaer during the council’s goal-setting retreat this spring, the ordinance will mean harsher penalties for suspects who commit domestic violence in the presence of children.

“Exposing minor children to domestic violence is a gross misdemeanor,” the ordinance reads. “Any person convicted of this crime shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than 30 days.

As part of their listening tour of the 5th Legislative District, State Reps. Jay Rodne and Chad Magendanz will host an informational transportation meeting in Issaquah Sept. 26.

The meeting — from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Issaquah Police Department, Eagle Room, 130 E. Sunset Way — will include local transportation leaders as well as a representatives from the state Department of Transportation.